The Creative Curriculum for
Infants, Toddlers, & Twos
The Foundation, Volume 1
Creative Curriculum:
The Foundation
Knowing
Infants,
Toddlers, &
Twos
Building
Partnerships
With Families
Caring and
Teaching
Theory
and
Research
Creating a
Responsive
Environment
What Children
Are Learning
Let’s take a closer look at
The Creative Curriculum
for
Infants, Toddlers, & Twos
Volume 1
The Foundation~ 5 Sections
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Knowing Infants, Toddlers, & Twos
Creating a Responsive Environment
What Children are Learning
Caring and Teaching
Building Partnerships with Families
Chapter 1~ Knowing Infants,
Toddlers, & Twos
• Reviews the developmentally appropriate
expectations for young children while reviewing
the Teaching Strategies GOLD Objectives and
Continuum in the following areas:
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Social-Emotional Development
Physical Development
Language Development
Cognitive Development
Chapter 1~ Knowing Infants,
Toddlers, & Twos
• Understanding Individual Differences,
including:
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Temperaments
Life Circumstances
Dual-Language Learners
Disabilities
Chapter 1 Summary
• “Knowing how infants, toddlers, and twos
develop is the starting point for planning your
program, selecting materials, and guiding
children’s development and learning. In
addition to knowing how children typically
develop, teachers must also learn about the
unique characteristics of each child.”
Chapter 2~ Creating a
Responsive Environment
• Setting up the Physical Environment:
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Creating Places for Routines and Experiences
Designing Spaces for Each Age-Group
Selecting Materials
Displaying Materials
Special Considerations in Setting Up the Physical
Environment
▫ Sending Positive Messages
Chapter 2~ Creating a
Responsive Environment
• Creating a Structure for Each Day:
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Planning a Daily Schedule
Individualizing the Schedule for Infants
Schedules for Toddlers and Twos
Planning for Transitions
Responsive Planning
Chapter 2 Summary
• Chapter two helps teachers understand the
physical environment; how the environment
promotes the developing abilities and interests
of infants, toddlers, and twos; how the
environment supports responsive relationships;
and how to plan a structured routine that also
allows flexibility.
Chapter 3~ What Are Children Learning
• The foundation for ALL Learning
• Building Language and Literacy Skills,
including:
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Vocabulary and Language
The Sounds and Rhythms of Language
Enjoying Books and Stories
Exploring Writing
Promoting Language and Literacy Learning
Chapter 3~ What Are Children Learning
• Discovering Mathematical Relationships:
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Number Concepts
Patterns and Relationships
Geometry and Spatial Relationships
Sorting and Classifying
Helping Children Discover Mathematical
Relationships
Chapter 3~ What Are Children Learning
• Exploring Like Scientists:
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The Physical World
The Natural World
The Social World
Encouraging Children to Explore Like Scientists
Chapter 3 Summary
• Chapter three “Explains how the experiences you
provide for infants, toddlers, and twos support
learning in language and literacy, math, and
science and prepare children for success in
school and in life.”
Chapter 4~ Caring and Teaching
• Building Relationships- explains how to use your
knowledge of child development and individual
children’s strengths and needs to build trusting,
responsive relationships with and among
children. Focuses on:
▫ Strategies for Building Trusting Relationships
▫ Helping Children Get Along with Others
▫ Developing a Structure that Supports
Relationships
▫ Helping Children Transition to a New Group or
Preschool
Chapter 4~ Caring and Teaching
• Promoting Children’s Self-Regulation, including:
▫ Setting the Foundation for Young Infant’s SelfRegulation
▫ Helping Mobile Infants Begin to Control Their
Behavior
▫ Promoting the Self-Regulation of Toddlers and
Twos
▫ Using Positive Guidance Strategies
Chapter 4~ Caring and Teaching
• Responding to the following Challenging
Behaviors:
▫ Physical Aggression
▫ Temper Tantrums
▫ Biting
Chapter 4~ Caring and Teaching
• Guiding Children’s Learning by reviewing:
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Learning Through Play
Talking With Infants, Toddlers, and Twos
Extending Children’s Knowledge and Skills
Including All Children
Chapter 4~ Caring and Teaching
• Assessing Children’s Development and
Learning
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Observing and Collecting Facts
Analyzing and Responding
Evaluating Each Child’s Progress
Summarizing, Planning, and Communicating
Chapter 4 Summary
• Chapter four reminds us that “As you observe
and get to know each child, you reflect and
respond to his strengths, needs, and interests;
purposefully guide his behavior, support his
learning, and use ongoing assessment to
document his progress and to plan.”
Chapter 5~ Building Partnerships
With Families
• Special Concerns of Families with Children
Under Age 3:
▫ The Stress of Parenting an Infant
▫ Conflicting Feelings About Sharing Care
▫ Wanting to Be Part of Their Child’s Day
• Getting to Know the Families:
▫ Appreciating Differences Among Families
▫ Understanding the Influence of Culture
Chapter 5~ Building Partnerships
With Families
• Welcoming Families to Your Program:
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Creating a Welcoming Environment
Orienting New Families
Developing an Individual Care Plan for Each Child
Reaching Out to All Family Members
Chapter 5~ Building Partnerships With
Families
• Communicating With Families:
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Building Trust Through Daily Interactions
Making the Most of Daily Exchanges
Communicating in More Formal Ways
Holding Conferences and Making Home Visits
• Involving Families in the Program:
▫ Offering a Variety of Ways to Be Involved
▫ Participating in the Program
Chapter 5~ Building Partnerships
With Families
• Sharing Information and Parenting Tips
• Responding to Challenging Situations:
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Resolving Differences
Working Through Conflicts
Supporting Families Who Are Under Stress
Supporting the Families of Children With
Disabilities
Chapter 5 Summary
• Chapter five teaches us that when you support
parents as partners in the care of their child,
families are more likely to feel as though they are
an important part of your program and to offer
their support.
Scavenger Hunt!
Use The Creative Curriculum for Infants,
Toddlers, & Twos Volume 1, The Foundation to
answer the following questions.
Use the included handout to record your answers.
Scavenger Hunt!
• What term does Lev Vygotsky use to describe,
“The range of a child’s learning about a
particular experience?”
• Chapter 1 covers how to adapt to individual
differences in Infants, Toddlers, and Twos,
define/describe the meaning of “Biological
Rhythms” and “Sensory Threshold.”
Scavenger Hunt!
• What are the Seven Social-Emotional
Characteristics that are essential for schoolreadiness as identified by the National Center
for Infants, Toddlers, and Twos found in
Chapter 3?”
• Find one reason why children sometimes bite
and briefly describe a strategy that could be used
to prevent it.
Scavenger Hunt!
• Describe how the Internet can be used as a
formal communication with families.
Congratulations!!!
You have successfully completed training for
Creative Curriculum Volume 1, The Foundation.
Please complete the Volume 1 Scavenger Hunt
form and continue on to Volume 2 Routines and
Experiences training.